Chef at Market
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Whiteaker, Betty
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In Memory of Craig Claiborne

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"To cook is to create. And to create well...
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the arts, but to cook well, one must love and respect food."
~ Craig Claiborne

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Craig Claiborne, in his New York apartment in 1990
(courtesy AP)

A Tribute to Craig Claiborne

Craig Claiborne's Eggplant au Gratin
Craig Claiborne's Southern Cooking
Craig Claiborne, 1987, Times Books (out of print)

1 eggplant (about 1 pound)
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Tabasco to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Peel eggplant and cut flesh into 1-inch
cubes, more or less. Drop cubes into boiling salted water and cook about
5 minutes, just until cooked. Drain well.
Meanwhile slice mushrooms. There should be about 2 cups. Heat 1
tablespoon butter in skillet and add mushroom slices. Sprinkle with salt
and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Cook, stirring and tossing, until mushrooms
give up their juice. Continue cooking until liquid evaporates. Set aside.
Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan and add flour, stirring with
a wire whisk. Add milk and cream, stirring rapidly with whisk. When
blended and smooth, add salt and pepper, remaining lemon juice, nut-
meg and Tabasco. Stir in mushrooms and eggplant. Stir in egg. Spoon
into baking dish (8-inch pie plate). Sprinkle with mixture of crumbs
and Parmesan, dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Bake 30 to 40 minutes.